R. G. Bury, The Symposium of Plato

φρονήματα...ἐγγίγνεσθαι. For φρον. μεγάλα cp. 190 B. For ἐγγίγνεσθαι cp. Xen. Rep. Lac. v. 6 ὥστ᾽ ἐκεῖ ἥκιστα μὲν ὕβριν...ἐγγίγνεσθαι: and 184 A infra. The genitive τῶν ἀρχομένων, in place of the more natural dative, may be explained, with Stallb., as due to “a confusion of two constructions,” the gen. being dependent on φρον. μεγ. and the dat. after the verb omitted. For the thought, cp. (with Jowett) Arist. Pol. v. 11. 15.

ὃ δὴ...ἐμποιεῖν. The neut. sing., which is acc. after ἐμποιεῖν, serves to grasp under one general head the preceding plurals. For this common use of φιλεῖ, solet, cp. 188 B infra, Phileb. 37 B. Hug, excising the καὶ after πάντα, construes τὰ ἄλλα πάντα as a second object, parallel to ὅ. But no change is needed: the phrase means “prae ceteris omnibus maxime amor,” as Stallb. renders, cp. the usage of ἄλλος τε καί, τά τε ἄλλα καί in 220 A, Apol. 36 A, etc.

ὁ γὰρ Ἀριστογείτονος κτλ. For the exploits of these tyrannicides, who slew the Pisistratids in 514 B.C., see Bury H. G. p. 205. Aristogeiton was the ἐραστής of Harmodius, and popular sentiment invested the pair, in later days, with a halo of glory as the patron-saints and martyrs of Love and Liberty. Cp. Skolia 9 (Bgk. P. L. G. III. p. 646) ἐν μύρτου κλαδὶ τὸ ξίφος φορήσω, | ὥσπερ Ἁρμόδιος καὶ Ἀριστογείτων, | ὅτε τὸν τύραννον κτανέτην | ἰσονόμους τ᾽ Ἀθήνας ἐποιησάτην: Ar. Ach. 980, Lys. 632. The exploit was also commemorated by Antenor's bronzes and a group by Critias and Nesiotes (reproduced in Bury H. G. p. 209).

ἐτέθη. As aor. pass. of τίθεσθαι, this is equiv. to ἐνομίσθη (cp. two ll. below). It is plain that θεμένων must here be taken to include both rulers and subjects. For πλεονεξία, “arrogant greed,” as opposed to ἡ τοῦ ἴσου τιμή, see Rep. 359 C. For the theory implied in the following passage, that ἔρως and ἄνδρεια go together (as Phaedrus also had contended, 178 D ff.), cp. Bacon, Essay x. (Of Love): “I know not how, but Martiall men are given to Love: I think it is but as they are given to Wine; for perils commonly aske to be paid in pleasures.”